Skyheart's Destiny
by honeyfrost11
Summary: Skykit, daughter of Lionblaze and Cinderheart is among the first litter born after the battle with the Dark Forest. From the beginning she has to face loss and tragedy. Will this young Thunderclan cat accept the great destiny that Starclan has planned for her or will she fall to a dark shadow that has followed her since birth.
1. Chapter 1

Prologue

A huge storm raged above the lake where the four clans lived, strong winds ripped through the leaf-fall trees, the cats of Thunderclan were sheltering in their dens, but in the nursery Cinderheart was on her side panting. Dovewing who was round with Bumblestripe's kits watched with concern in her blue eyes, "You're doing good Cinderheart," she mewed stroking her friend's gray flank with her tail.

"There it is," Jayfeather mewed in triumph, "You have a she-kit and a tom," he purred, the mottled gray tom got to his paws, "I'll go fetch some borage leaves, to help your milk come," he mewed and left the nursery.

Cinderheart gave both of her kits a lick on the head before nudging them into the curve of her belly, "They're beautiful," she whispered, the she-kit was white with gray paws, and the tom was a light golden tabby like his father, "What are you going to name them?" Dovewing asked

Cinderheart looked at her kits with a soft blue gaze, "The white and gray she-kit will be Skykit," she mewed turning her gaze to the tom, "The tom," she rested her tail the light golden tabby, "will be Lionkit," she purred as the small tabby swatted at her tail, thunder crashed and lightning flashed. "What a storm," she mewed to Dovewing, who nodded in agreement. "I wonder if it is a sign from Starclan that these kits will do great things for the clan?" she murmured to herself.


	2. Chapter 2

CHAPTER ONE

Skykit blinked open her blue gaze, scanning the nursery as her breath billowed. Dovewing was sleeping her three kits curled up against her warm belly, the gray queen's kits were a moon younger than Skykit and Lionkit. Skykit gently stepped over her brother's tail and jumped out of the nest. The young she-kit padded out into the camp, she blinked against the glare of the sun off of the frost covered ground.

Skykit scanned the camp, Sandstorm and Graystripe were stretched on the half-rocks enjoying the little warmth they offered, she spotted Bramblestar and his deputy Squirrelflight discussing something. Her father, Lionblaze was leading a patrol out of the camp, probably to hunt. Skykit got to her paws and padded toward the thorn tunnel. "Where do you think you're going," a deep mew sounded behind Skykit, who slowly turned around to see Cloudtail sitting outside the warrior's den, his blue gaze watching her intently.

"Umm, no where" Skykit muttered before padding back toward the nursery, '_I'm five moons old, why can't they let me out of camp,_' she thought in exasperation as she plopped down outside of her den. Suddenly an idea struck her, she remembered Lionblaze telling her and Lionkit stories of how he and his littermates would sneak out of camp through the dirt place tunnel. Just as Skykit was going to push herself to her paws she heard small pawsteps behind her.

"What are you doing out here," Lionkit mewed, his fur fluffed up against the cold leaf-bare breeze. Skykit was glad that she had a thick pelt.

"I'm about to go into the forest, you wanna come," she mewed her blue eyes bright with excitement. Lionkit nodded eagerly.

"But how are we going to get out," he mewed his ears twitching. Skykit pointed to the dirt place with her tail, "But I don't need to go," Lionkit said in confusion

Skykit rolled her eyes, "No, remember the stories Lionblaze would tell us about how he and his littermates would sneak out using the dirt place tunnel," sudden understanding sparked Lionkit's gaze, "Now that you get it, come on." She mewed bounding across the camp and into the dirt place.

"Ugh it smells like crow-food in here," Lionkit mewed as he followed his sister to the back of the small clearing, he stopped beside her and glanced up at the cliff face, "So, how are we supposed to climb this again?" he asked Skykit gave him a light cuff on the ear.

"Just put your paws where I put mine," the white she-kit instructed and began hauling herself up the cliff face, she could feel the hot breath of Lionkit behind her, she put her gray paws on the edge of the cliff and pulled herself up. "Well," she panted, "that wasn't so bad," she managed as Lionkit tried to heave himself up, she heard a stone clatter down the cliff face.

"I'm slipping," he panted

Skykit grabbed her brother's scruff and began hauling him over the edge, "You need to lay off of the squirrels," she mewed around his neck fur, finally the light golden tabby was beside her. "Okay, which way do you want to go," she mewed looking at the forest around her, she could barely pick up the scent of Squirrelflight's patrol, and beyond that was the stronger scent of the lake, "I can smell the lake," she mewed

"Let's go there," Lionkit piped pushing himself to his paws, "You lead," he mewed and Skykit began padding in the direction of the smell of water. After what seemed like moons of padding through the bare white forest Skykit came to a halt at the top of a cliff, Lionkit not paying attention ran into her from behind.

"Hey watch it," she hissed, "It is way too cold to go for a swim," she gazed at the water in amazement.

"Doesn't something seem odd about the water," Lionkit mewed, Skykit looked at her brother and tilted her head.

"What do you mean," she asked

Lionkit pointed to it, "There's a Shadowclan patrol and they are just walking on it," he mewed, Skykit realized he was right.

"Let's go check it out," she mewed in excitement, and bounded down the slope to the lake's edge, Lionkit skidded to a halt beside her.

"Well go on," Lionkit mewed nudging Skykit onto the slick surface, the white she-kit slid and her legs slipped from under her, Lionkit started laughing.

Skykit managed to get to her paws, she stepped forward carefully and started mewing with glee, "Lionkit come and try this," she mewed. The golden tabby gingerly followed his sister, the two slid around on the ice, Skykit looked up and realized that she was heading straight for the Shadowclan patrol, "Oh, no," she squeaked trying to stop. She unsheathed her claws, and slid to a stop, she let out a sigh of relief. The patrol was glancing at her with curiosity in their gaze.

Suddenly there was a loud crack, the ice began to split, Skykit turned to see Lionkit still sliding towards her, "Lionkit watch out," she yowled as her brother disappeard, "Help," she yowled slipping and sliding, none of the cats from Shadowclan payed attention, she skidded to a halt at the spot where Lionkit had disappeard, "Lionkit, Lionkit," she called

She gazed through the ice and found the golden tabby, she began scratching at the ice, suddenly a bigger cat shoved her out of the way, causing her to skid across the ice. "Lionblaze," she mewed as the tabby broke the ice and grabbed Lionkit by the scruff, not saying a word, Lionblaze began bounding back to the edge of the Lake. Skykit scrabbled on the ice trying to keep up, "Wait for me," she called her short legs unable to keep pace with Lionblaze.

Snow had started to fall, and Skykit tried to fight her way through it, suddenly she felt herself being lifted and carried, the familiar scent of Squirrelflight swirled around her, the white she-kit began shivering, "Hang on Skykit," the deputy mewed "Hang on," Skykit felt herself drift into unconsciousness.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

Skykit felt something swat her nose, "Hey watch it Lionkit," she hissed before tucking it back under her paw, she drifted back to sleep. When she awoke the second time she couldn't feel the warmth of Lionkit next to her, she shifted toward the empty space, "Lionkit," she mewed groggily opening her eyes, the golden tabby wasn't there. "Lionkit, Lionkit," she called stumbling from the nest, she pushed her way through the bramble screen, "Lionkit," she yowled gazing wildly around the camp, she finally spotted his golden pelt, "Lionkit," she shrieked dashing to her littermate's side, she began licking his pelt, which was cold as stone.

"I'm so sorry Skykit, he's gone," a familiar voice mewed, the white she-kit spun around to see Ivypool, the gray and white tabby rested her head on Skykit's but the white she-kit pulled away.

"No, Lionkit come on wake up, wake up," she yowled burying her nose into his fur, she felt warmth settle on both sides of her, the scents of Lionblaze and Dovewing wrapped around her.

"Lionkit hunts with Starclan now," Dovewing whispered to Skykit. The white she-kit wrenched away from their warmth, and pelted from the camp, she didn't know where she was going she just ran.

The white forest went by in a blur, "Lionkit, you can't be dead, if you won't make it to apprentice neither will I" she vowed her lungs screaming, she could hear paws pounding the forest floor behind her, suddenly a golden tabby over took her, "Lionkit," she mewed then realized it was Lionblaze, "It's my fault, Lionkit is dead because of me," Skykit yowled she felt her father bring her closer, she leaned into the warmth of his golden pelt.

"Skykit, it wasn't your fault," he soothed "Let's go back to camp, and get you warm," he whispered gently lifting her by the scruff. As Lionblaze entered the camp with Skykit dangling from his mouth he padded to the nursery, and laid Skykit down next to Dovewing. The light gray she-cat began gently grooming her kit, as the white she-kit began sobbing.

"From this moment until you have received your warrior name, you will be known as Skypaw, may Starclan watch you and guide you." Bramblestar yowled, "Tigerstripe, you will be mentor to Skypaw, you have proven to be brave and loyal, I was your mentor and I hope that you will pass on all you know to Skypaw," the dark tabby tom finished

Skypaw stepped forward and touched noses with Tigerstripe, there was sympathy in the black striped she-cat's blue gaze, 'It's been a moon since Lionkit died, I'm tired of sympathy' she thought coldly, and followed Tigerstripe to the edge of the clan. Skypaw realized that she would be sleeping alone for the next moon until Ivypool's kits were made apprentices.

"Skypaw, I was thinking that you might like to see the territory," Tigerstripe mewed, Skypaw gave a nonchalant shrug, the white she-cat didn't really enjoy doing anything anymore, mostly because she didn't have anyone to do it with, but she willingly followed Tigerstripe out of the camp, the snow was soft and she sunk up to her belly fur with each step.

"I hate leaf-bare, and snow" Skypaw hissed shaking each paw. By the time Tigerstripe had shown her the territory it was sunset, and they didn't get back to camp until after the last blood red rays of sunlight had left the sky. Skypaw glanced at the fresh-kill pile, but didn't have the energy or the will to eat, so she drug her weary paws to her nest.

Skypaw tossed and turned, she blinked her eyes open and saw her brother staring at her, "Lionkit," she mewed sleepily, "What is it, where am I," she asked in confusion, she glanced around the clearing where several cats were gazing at her, "Who are these strange cats," she asked getting to her paws.

"Skypaw, Skyclan needs you," Lionkit mewed, "This is Cloudstar, Birdflight, Gorseclaw and Spottedpelt, they are the ancestors of Skyclan," he whispered "Their clan is on the verge of destruction, they need to be brought back here, to the lake, you need to go now," the golden tabby urged, as the cats and Lionkit began to fade.

"Wait how will I know where to go," she called, "We will guide you," the voice of several cats rang in her ears. Skypaw woke with a start, the instructions given by Lionkit ringing in her ears. "I must do this, I have nothing left here," she slipped silent as night from the camp, although her departure was not unnoticed, Ivypool's smallest kit, Pinekit, followed Skypaw from camp.

Skypaw bounded through the snow, she was at the edge of the ravine that led to the camp entrance when she heard a high pitched call, "Skypaw, Skypaw, slow down." Pinekit called, Skypaw turned to see the small brown she-kit following, Skypaw bounded back to the kit.

"What are you doing here," she demanded, scooping the kit up and clearing some snow from the ground before setting her back down, the brown bundle of fur was shaking, Skypaw wrapped her body around the freezing bundle, "What are you doing here Pinekit," she asked again in a more gentle tone.

The brown kit looked up at Skypaw with worry in her green gaze, "I don't want you to leave Thunderclan, I'll miss you too much," she mewed rubbing her head against Skypaw's pelt, "Where are you going," she asked.

"No where, I was just wanting to think," she mewed grasping the small kit by the scruff and padding back into camp, where she returned Pinekit to her nest in the nursery with her littermates. Skypaw padded slowly back to her den, '_Starclan I'm sorry, but I am only an apprentice. This quest is one for a warrior,'_ she thought in defeat as she curled up in her nest.


End file.
